Running Through the A

One of the long-standing traditions of a Razorback Football game is the way the team comes on the field…Running Through the A, which is formed by members of the Best in Sight and Sound Marching Band.

Alma Mater

Pure as the dawn on the brow of thy beauty
Watches thy soul from the mountains of God
Over the Fates of thy children departed
Far from the land where their footsteps have trod.
Beacon of hope in the ways dreary lighted;
Pride of our hearts that are loyal and true;
From those who adore unto one who adores us-
Mother of Mothers, we sing unto you.

We, with our faces turned high to the Eastward,
Proud of our place in the vanguard of Truth,
Will sing unto thee a new song of thanksgiving-
Honor to God and the Springtime of Youth.
Shout of the victor or tear of the vanquished;
Sunshine or tempest thy heart is e’er true;
Pride of the Hills and the white-laden Lowlands-
Mother of Mothers, we kneel unto you.

Ever the Legions of Sin will assail us,
Ever the Battle in Cities afar;
Still in the depths will thy Spirit eternal
Beckon us on like a piloting Star.
Down in dim years do thy dead children call thee,
Wafted to Sleep while the Springtime was new;
We, of the Present, thy hope of the Future-
Mother of Mothers, we pray unto you.

Wild Band of Razorbacks Monument

The “Wild Band of Razorbacks” monument consists of six Razorbacks, accented by custom lighting and a water feature. The bronze monument is along Stadium Drive at the Northeast corner of Razorback Stadium. The full monument is approximately 20 feet high and 30 feet wide.

Tusk

The live mascot that represents the Razorbacks today is no barnyard pig. Tusk V, the hairy hog that attends all Razorback home football games, is a Russian boar, which closely resembles the wild hogs known as razorbacks native to the Arkansas wilderness. These razorbacks are tough and at times ill-tempered — animals whose fearlessness and doggedness were the inspiration for the Razorback nickname.

The tradition of having a live Razorback mascot has been a fan favorite since the university’s first hooved beast made its debut in the 1960s.

How We Became the Razorbacks

There are dozens of Lions, Tigers and Bears, but in all of college athletics there is only one Razorback – but it wasn’t always that way. The university’s teams were known as the Cardinals until Arkansas football coach Hugo Bezdek fatefully called his players “a wild band of Razorback hogs” after a big win over LSU in 1909.

The Razorback, characterized by a ridge back and its tenacious, wild fighting ability, immediately became a popular nickname, and one year after coach Bezdek’s statement, the student body voted to change the official mascot to Razorbacks.

Hall of Honor

Open to the public on business days and gamedays, the Hall of Honor is located in the Frank Broyles Athletic Center on the North side of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The mission of the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor is to pay tribute and extend recognition to those individuals who have made significant contributions to the honor and fame of the University of Arkansas and its athletic programs and to showcase the history and tradition of the Razorbacks.

Established as a joint venture between Arkansas Athletics, the Razorback Foundation and A Club, the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor has inducted 209 individuals since 1988.